Performance and Temperature Comparison of Photovoltaic Modules in Snowy Conditions

The accumulation of snow and ice on photovoltaic modules (PV) reduces their performance. On the other hand, the accumulation of snow on the ground increases the albedo and this can be beneficial for enhancing the rear side production of bifacial modules. With a goal to provide insights and recommendations for the selection of PV modules for snowy environments, this paper provides a comparative performance and temperature evaluation of different PV modules under snowy conditions based on field measurements.We evaluated the performance of monofacial, and bifacial (both framed and frameless) modules installed on a 45° fixed PV table at the innovation solar park of the Université de Sherbrooke. The energy yield and the thermal variation of the modules are quantified using the energy measured from PV loads of each module, and the temperature sensors installed at the center back of each PV module. The PV yield evaluations reveal that both framed and frameless bifacial modules outperform the other modules in February and March. The results provide insights and recommendations for the selection of PV modules for snowy regions.